Contact IVC NEPA
Teddy Michel, Regional Director
Ignatian Volunteer Corps of Northeastern Pennsylvania
University of Scranton
O’Hara Hall 119
800 Linden Street
Scranton, PA 18510
Telephone: (570) 941-4264
Email: jmichel@ivcusa.org
Become an Ignatian Volunteer
What is IVC?
The Ignatian Volunteer Corps (“IVC”) is a national non-profit organization that seeks to better communities through matching men and women, age 50 and better, with meaningful opportunities to serve the needs of people who are poor, to work for a more just society, and to grow deeper in their faith.
Ignatian Volunteers commit to working one or two days per week (generally eight to sixteen hours) for a period of ten months. We partner with Service Agencies that directly serve the poor or address poverty-related issues.
The IVC Difference
IVC’s communal and spiritual aspects set IVC apart from other volunteer opportunities. Transformation occurs for Ignatian Volunteers when they minister to the poor, and then take time to intentionally reflect on their ministry. Thus, IVC integrates a spiritual support program into a volunteer’s service.
To “find God in all things”, IVC’s spiritual support program encourages spiritual reflection on the following three levels:
- Private – Reflecting on service experiences through journaling and prayer.
- Individual – Meeting monthly, one-on-one, with a spiritual reflector, versed in Ignatian Spirituality, who helps uncover the deeper meaning within one’s service experience.
- Communal – Sharing and developing spiritually with other local volunteers through prayer, reflecting on service experiences and discussing common reading materials, while learning Ignatian Spirituality. The volunteers also gather periodically during the year for special days of prayer/reflection.
The IVC Difference:
IVC’s communal and spiritual experiences set it apart from other volunteer opportunities. Transformation occurs for Ignatian Volunteers when they serve others and take time to reflect and share with each other about their service experiences.
The Ignatian Volunteer Corps’ spiritual support program arises from the Catholic Ignatian tradition, developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). We also value and welcome those whose spiritual journey is influenced by other traditions and practices. We believe that richness in community comes from the sharing of diverse spiritual beliefs and practices.
IVC is an extraordinary opportunity to respond to the invitation of Jesus to Love One Another by service to the poor among us.